Downhill Bikes of Sea Otter - Part 1
Sea Otter typically feels more like the realm of the little bike, with road, gravel, and shorter travel mountain bikes taking up most of the booth space. This year felt different, though, as many brands came to the show with fully decked-out downhill bikes to display their wares. I caught a quick bike check on 13 of the more eye-catching options around the pits, which will hopefully tide us over until the season gets rolling in a few weeks.
Polygon Colossus DH9
This bike doesn't technically exist yet, but as you can see it's just about ready for release.
Same 6-bar linkage as their Colossus N enduro bike.
Flip chip at the dropout.
And at the lower shock mount.
GT Fury
We caught a glimpse of this new Fury at last year's Sea Otter, with the bike releasing to the public shortly thereafter.
This one was camped out at the Continental booth, with an appropriately yellow color scheme.
I like the look of this layout.
Unusual routing maneuvers.
Aaron Gwin's Crestline RS 205 VHP
Parked out in front of the TRP booth, for the moment.
SIlenced.
Tukt.
Santa Cruz V10
I'm pretty into this color combo.
Forbidden Supernought
Frame only, but it still looks great.
Staying safe from damage at the Ride Wrap booth.
Commencal Supreme DH
Specialized Demo Prototype
The velvet rope is a nice touch.
That's all for now - stay tuned for part two.
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I couldn't give a monkeys whether a bike is vpp, horst or just single pivot. All that matters is how it performs. Like when a handlebar is released and claims to have superior flex and vibration absorption, let's see the data. If these results aren't reported then all we have to go by is appearance.
I would even say that you must be super stupid if logo and stickers comes into consideration when buying a bike. As a customer I want bikes that have no logo. Logos and stickers are advertising, they should pay us to provide free advertising, not the opposite! Same applies to clothing brands where I am usually looking for the least branding possible.
Rides unreal too. Paint gets lots of comments. Sleeper bike
I don't give a damn about how bike looks like, as long as it doesn't look like Pole or Orange ahahahah
Anyway, chapeaux to the paint department.
I ride a lot of DH and there is a whole lot of satan going on in that zone on a regular basis. Yes your chainring/bashguard hang down lower as well, but with that dangly linkage you probably quintupled the width of dangliness?
I'm sure it rides sick, but I'm skeptical of dangly bits
But sure the guys at Specialized had that in mind and will provide some kind of protection, or if not it might not be an issue at all....
Frankly, if Specialized could keep essentially the same kinematics as the current Enduro, but reduce the chain growth/pedal kickback and move the weight of the bike even lower with that new linkage.... it's hard to imagine a better bike.
That chainstay is somethin.
Anyway, good for Specialized for giving some young up and comer high school design students a chance to showcase their stuff.
crestlinebikes.com/shop/rs-205-vhp-frame
Hope it doesn't have as many pivots as the single crown Colossus-es on release though.
Neko has it right.
I was expecting the "DH" bikes that were racing, the ones with the single crowns.
The shock orientation and that link also reminds me of the @Deviate highlander & claymore.
On my highlander it disappears upwards as soon as the suspension compresses and is much less in the firing line than the down tube, cranks, chainrings etc.